Spring shackle



Aug. 5, 1941- w. L. JQNES 2,251,843

SPRING SHACKLE Filed March 6, 1941 j {t} 1p 1F/tg 212g' 5 @a Patented Aug. 5, 1941 SPRING SHACKLE William L. Jones, Centralia, Ill., assignor of fiftyone per cent to Glenn W. Johnson, Centralia, Ill.

Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 382,059

7 Claims. l(CL 267-54) This invention relates to an improved construction of shackle for leaf type vehicle springs.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a U-shaped shackle having improved means for pivotally mounting complementary ends of a pair of vehicle springs thereon or for connecting an end of a vehicle spring to the frame of a vehicle to be supported thereby in such a manner that said spring end pivots relatively to the shackle and through the shackle connection swings relatively to the Vehicle frame.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide an improved U-type needle bearing spring shackle so constructed and arranged that the weight of the vehicle will be carried by sets of needle bearings and which will not be subject to the so called freezing or drying up and sticking of the bushing to the shackle as frequently occurs with spring shackles of the type now generally used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description ofthe drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the shackle assembled and in an applied position,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken substantially along the plane of the line 2 2 of Figure 1 and showing a portion of the shackle in elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 2 and showing one end of a modified construction of spring shackle, and

Figure 5 is an end view in elevation of a portion of the modified spring shackle.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, IIJ designates generally one embodiment of the spring shackle in its entirety, and which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. The spring shackle ID comprises a U-shaped supporting member II which is forged in one piece and which is provided with corresponding restricted ends forming spaced, substantially parallel spindles I2 which are provided with threaded intermediate portions I3. The ends of the spindles I2 form inner races I4. The U-shaped supporting member II is provided with annular shoulders I5 at the inner ends of the spindles I2 which are provided with outwardly opening annular grooves I6 for receiving yieldable packing rings or gaskets I'I.

A bushing I8 is provided with an internally threaded intermediate portion I9. A bushing I8 is mounted on each of the spindles I2 with the threaded portion I9 of each bushing loosely engaging the threaded portion I3 of a spindle I2. Each bushing I8 is provided with end portions forming outer races 20. A set of needle bearings or ball bearings 2I is disposed between each of the complementary inner and outer races I4 and 2l! to provide anti-friction means for supporting each of the bushings I8 on a spindle I2.

The bushings I8 are each externally threaded as at 22 for engaging the internally threaded eye 23 of an end of a leaf spring, as indicated at 24, or of an intern-ally threaded eye 23 which is formed in a portion 25 of the vehicle frame. It is to be understood, that the shackle I0 may be used for either connecting complementary ends of a pair of leaf springs or for connecting an end of a leaf spring -to the vehicle frame.

Bushing I8, at its outer end, is provided with an enlarged head 26 which forms an abutment for the outer end of the eye 23 which is mounted thereon and which is provided with wrench lands 2l. rfor screwing the bushing I8 onto a spindle I2 and into an eye 23. The bushi-ng heads 26 are each provided with a lubricating port 28 for lubricating the bearings ZI and which are provided with conventional plugs or Zerk ttings, not shown. However, if desired, the lubricating ports 28 may be omitted.

To assemble the'shackle III, a set of the bearings 2I, packed in grease, are mounted on the inner races I4 at the inner ends of the spindles I2, and a set of bearings 2l, packed in grease, are mounted in the outer races 2U at the outer ends of the bushings I8. The eyes 23 are then applied to the spindles I2 after which the bushings I8 are each screwed simultaneously into an eye 23 and onto a spindle I2, disposed within said eye for completing the assembly. The threads I9 and 22 are of the same pitch so that the bushings I can be simultaneously screwed into the eyes 23 and onto the spindles I2. As seen in Figure 2, the external threads of the bushings snugly engage the threads of the eyes and the internal threads of the bushings loosely engage the threads of the spindles so that the bushings and eyes will be supported on the spindles by the bearings 2| -to prevent the bushings from freezing or sticking to the spindles. Consequently, when the eyes 23 pivot on the spindles I2 there will be no relative movement between the bush-.

' I'I which will yield sufficiently to allow the bushings to move inwardly slightly relatively to the shoulders I and yet at all times remain in Contact with the packing elements I l to prevent dirt or other foreign matter or moisture reaching the bearings 2|.

In Figures 4 and 5, a slightly modified form of the invention is disclosed comprising a shackle construction designated generally IiiV and including a ueshaped member, corresponding to the member II and having the parts to I'I, inclusive, corresponding to theparts bearing the same reference characters in theembodiment; of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3. The shackle construction Il hasV a modined bushing I8 which is open at both ends. The bushing i8 is provided, intermediate of its ends, with the internally disposed threads I9 for engaging the threads IfSdandvis provided with external threads 2v2 of the same pitch as the threads'` I9 for snugly engaging the internally threaded spring or frame eye 23. The bushing IS is, provided with an enlarged outer end 26 forming aniabutment for the outer end of the eye- 2 3 and which is provided with wrench lands 2l" to permit a wrench to be used for screwing the bushing I3' into the eye 23 and Yonto the spindle I2'. Arace member 29 is disposed around the innerset of bearings 2| and withinv the inner end., 2,9 of the ,bushing I8. The outer race member-29 is provided with an inwardly Yprojecting yannular flange 3l! at its inner end which bears against` the packing I'I for sealing the bearings 2|r fromV dirt and moisture. A cupV shaped outer racemernber 3| is mounted in the outer end 28.- oi the bushing,r I8" and is disposed over the 'outer set of bearings 2| and around the outer endof the spindle I2. A cap 32 is driven* orv pressed into the outer end of the bushing I8 for retaining the race member 3| inY place. Cap4 32. andthe race member 3| are provided. with alined ports 28 for lubricating the bearings 2l'. f Y

shackleconstruction Il is assembled by first applying the inner set of bearings 2| Yand thefrace member 29Z and then simultaneously screwing the bushing` |81 vvinto the eye'23 and onto thespindle I2, afterr whichv theouter set ofloearingsV 2| and the outer race ZlIY are applied andthen secu-red bythe cap 32;

As. in the Ashackle construction Iil, the bushingv I8y is threaded loosely on the spindle I2 to` be thereby!` supported by/the bearings 2|' and the bushing I3 and eye 23` are spaced from the shoulder t5, asvseenin'Figure Ll, at 33',` to permit said partsV to move inwardly of the spindle I2.

and a space 34' is also provided between the spindle |2= and the outer end 'of the race 3| so that tliebushing I8 and eye 23 can 'be moved inwardly Yof the spindle I2 in pivoting in one direction and the parts are obviously free to move.` outwardly when pivoting and moving in the. other direction,

engaging said legs, each of said bushings being' internally threaded intermediate of its ends for loosely engaging a threaded portion of a leg of said U-shaped member, sets of roller bearings disposed between said inner races and the ends of each of said bushings to provide anti-friction means for supporting the bushings on said legs of the U-shaped member, and each of said bushings, being externally threaded for engaging the internally threaded eye formed on the end of a leaf spring for pivotally mountingv said eyes onfsaid ends of the U-shaped shackle.

2. A shackle 4construction, as in claim 1, the extremities of said bushines forming outer races for said sets of roller bearings.A

3. A shackleV construction as in claim 1, comprising outer race members disposed in the ends of the bushings and in which said sets of roller bearings are disposed.

4. A shackle construction as in claim 1, said shacklefbeing provided with an annular shoulder at the inner end of each of its restricted legs,

each of said annular shoulders being provided' with an annular outwardly opening groove, andV an annular gasket disposed in. each of said grooves, eachV of said. annular gaskets being ar each of said spindles having an intermediate; threaded: portion and. end portions forming inner races, a bushing having an internally threaded intermediate portion .for loosely Yengaging the threaded portion of the spindle, each of the spindles being provided with a bushing, each of said bushings, being adapted to releasably engage in an eye formed` on. the end of a spring, and sets. of needle. bearings disposed around said inner races. and within the ends'of theV bushings for rotatably supporting the bush-ings on said spindles for pivotally mountingrsaid spring ends,

on the shackle.

6. A construction as in claim V`5, `coiriprising outer races.l disposedv in the ends of thei bushings and in which said'v sets of needle'bearings are disposed. s y

7. A construction as in claimV 5,'cornprising outer races disposed inthe ends of the-bushingsVV and in which said sets of needle bearings are disposed, the outer races, at the. outer'ends of the bushings, being cup' shaped to?. engage overV the outerends of the spindles, and caps pressed intovtheouter ends of the bushings for holding said cup .Y shaped outer races` in position.4

.y '-WiLLiAMnJonns.- 

